Pharyngoesophageal (Zenker's) diverticulum: case report

Pharyngoesophageal pulsion diverticulum is the most common of all oesophageal diverticuli and is characterised by dysphagia, regurgitation, gurgling sounds in the neck and aspiration. This is a report of an 80-year old female who presented with progressive dysphagia, weight loss and recurrent bouts of pneumonitis. A barium swallow showed a pharyngoesophageal diverticulum and an upper endoscopy confirmed a wide ostium and no other pathology. She underwent surgical pharyngoesophageal diverticulectomy and cricopharyngeal myotomy under general anaesthesia and made complete recovery with total relief of dysphagia.